I.o in Ov. and the post-Aug. poets, Ov. H. 5, 59 Lennep.; id. Tr. 1, 1, 87; Luc. 9, 256; Val. Fl. 2, 407; Claud. Ep. 4, 17), adv. for e-regō, from ex and root rag-, to extend upward; cf. Gr. ὀρέγω, L. rego, Germ. ragen; v. erga, and Corss. Ausspr. 1, 448 sqq., proceeding from or out of.
I. With gen. (placed after it, like causa and gratia), in consequence of, on account of, because of (ante-class, but not in Plaut. or Ter.): “quojus rei ergo,” Cato R. R. 141, 2: “hujus rei ergo,” id. ib. § 3; 4; ib. 139; Tab. Publica ap. Liv. 40, 52 fin.; 41, 28 fin.: dono militari virtutis ergo donari, S. C. ap. Liv. 25, 7; so, virtutis ergo, Lex ap. Cic. Opt. Gen. 7, 19; Sisenn. ap. Non. 107, 16: ejus victoriae ergo, Inscr. ap. Nep. Paus. 1, 3: funeris ergo, Lex ap. Cic. Leg. 2, 23 fin.; 25 fin.: “ejus legis ergo,” Cic. Att. 3, 23, 2; Quadrig. ap. Gell. 3, 8, 8: “formidinis ergo,” Lucr. 5, 1246: “illius ergo,” Verg. A. 6, 670.
II. Absol. (for cujus rei ergo), consequently, accordingly, therefore, then (class.): unus homo nobis cunctando restituit rem: ergo postque magisque viri nunc gloria claret, Enn. ap. Cic. de Sen. 4; Lucil. ap. Cic. Fin. 1, 3, 9; Plaut. Cist. 1, 1, 74: “Polemoni et jam ante Aristoteli ea prima visa sunt, quae paulo ante dixi. Ergo nata est sententia veterum Academicorum, etc.,” Cic. Fin. 2, 11, 34: “Albano non plus animi erat quam fidei, nec manere ergo, nec transire aperte ausus, etc.,” Liv. 1, 27; Verg. E. 5, 58 et saep.—The reason or cause sometimes follows with quia, quod: “ergo istoc magis, quia vaniloquus, vapulabis,” Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 222; cf. id. Mil. 4, 6, 18.—Ante- and postclass. pleonast.: “ergo igitur,” Plaut. Trin. 3, 3, 27; and: “igitur ergo,” App. M. 1, p. 104 al. —So in Ter. and Liv.: “itaque ergo,” Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 25; Liv. 1, 25, 2 Drak.; 3, 31, 5 Gron.; 9, 31 fin.; 39, 25.—
B. Transf.
1. In a logical conclusion, consequently, therefore: “negat haec filiam me suam esse: non ergo haec mater mea est,” Plaut. Ep. 4, 2, 20; Varr. L. L. 8, § 47; 48; 49; “59 sq. al.: nullum dicere causae esse genus amentia est, etc. ... Relinquitur ergo, ut omnia tria genera sint causarum,” Cic. Inv. 1, 9 fin.: “quis est enim, in quo sit cupiditas, quin recte cupidus dici possit? Ergo et avarus erit, sed finite,” id. Fin. 2, 9, 27; 5, 9, 24: “quis tam esset ferreus qui eam vitam ferre posset, etc.? Verum ergo illud est, quod a Tarentino Archyta dici solitum,” id. Lael. 23, 88 et saep.; “corresponding to igitur,” id. ib. 14 fin. and 15 init.; so consecutively, igitur ... ergo ... ergo ... igitur ... id. N. D. 2, 21, 56 sq.—So with si, cum, quia, etc.: “ergo ego nisi peperissem, Roma non oppugnaretur,” Liv. 2, 40, 8; Plaut. Ep. 5, 2, 34; id. Capt. 2, 3, 63; id. Aul. 4, 10, 25. —So esp. in Cicero, like an (v. an I. D.), in interrogative argumentation, a minore ad majus, or ex aequo, so, so then: “ergo haec veteranus miles facere poterit, doctus vir sapiensque non poterit?” Cic. Tusc. 2, 17, 39; so with the future, id. ib. § 41; 1, 14, 31; 3, 15, 31; id. Off. 1, 31, 114; id. Fin. 2, 33 fin.: “ergo illi intelligunt, quid Epicurus dicat, ego non intelligo?” id. ib. 2, 4, 13; cf. id. Arch. 9: “ergo Ennio licuit vetera contemnenti dicere, etc. ... mihi de antiquis eodem modo non licebit?” id. Or. 51, 171; cf. id. Arch. 8, 9 fin.—
2. In interrogations.
a. When an explanation is asked, do you say? do you mean? then: S. Quo agis? P. Quo tu? ... S. Quo ergo, scelus? Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 23: Ipsus es? Ch. Ipsus Charmides sum. S. Ergo ipsusne es? id. Trin. 4, 2, 145; id. Ep. 1, 1, 19; Hor. S. 2, 3, 156.—
b. When a consequence is inquired for, Engl. then: Ps. lstuc ego jam satis scio. Si. Cur ergo, quod scis, me rogas? Plaut. Ps. 4, 1, 10: “ergo in iis adolescentibus bonam spem esse dicemus, quos? etc.,” Cic. Fin. 2, 35, 117: “dedemus ergo Hannibalem? dicet aliquis,” Liv. 21, 10 fin. et saep.: “num ergo is excaecat nos aut orbat sensibus, si? etc.,” Cic. Ac. 2, 23, 74; so, “num ergo,” Quint. 10, 1, 5; cf. id. 6, 3, 79: “quid stamus? quin ergo imus?” why not then? Plaut. Merc. 3, 3, 21; so, “quin ergo,” id. As. 1, 1, 15; 2, 2, 113; id. Merc. 5, 2, 88; id. Mil. 4, 2, 93.— Esp. freq., quid ergo? like the Gr. τί οὖϝ, why then? but why? quid ergo hanc dubitas colloqui? Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 17; cf. Cic. Fin. 4, 14; Ter. Phorm. 5, 7, 55; Tib. 3, 6, 51: “quid ergo? hujusne vitae propositio Thyesten levare poterit?” Cic. Tusc. 3, 18; id. Off. 3, 20, 81; 3, 15, 61; 3, 18, 73; id. Rosc. Am. 1, 2; id. Caecin. 20; id. Mur. 23, 47 et saep.; Caes. B. G. 7, 77, 10 et saep.—
3. With imperatives and words used imperatively, then, now, accordingly: “dato ergo istum symbolum illi,” Plaut. Ps. 2, 2, 57: “vide ergo, hanc conclusionem probaturusne sis,” Cic. Ac. 2, 30, 96: “desinite ergo,” Caes. B. C. 3, 19 fin.: “sequere ergo,” Plaut. As. 2, 4, 83; id. Rud. 1, 2, 94; id. Stich. 5, 2, 20; cf.: “amplectere ergo,” id. Curc. 1, 3, 16: “tace ergo,” id. Aul. 3, 2, 14; id. Ep. 2, 2, 57: “dic ergo,” id. Pers. 2, 2, 57: ausculta ergo, id. ib. 4, 6, 19; id. Cas. 2, 4, 18 et saep.: “quin tu ergo i modo,” come now, begone! id. Merc. 5, 2, 114; cf.: “quin tu ergo omitte genua,” id. Rud. 3, 2, 14: “agedum ergo,” id. ib. 3, 4, 15.—So with the subj.: “age eamus ergo, intro ergo abeant,” Plaut. Cas. 3, 6, 17; id. Mil. 1, 1, 78: “abeamus ergo intro,” id. ib. 3, 3, 69: “ergo des minam,” id. ib. 5, 27; Cic. Fin. 5, 8 fin.; id. Brut. 43.—And with the future: “ergo, si sapis, mussitabis,” Plaut. Mil. 2, 5, 66.—
4. Like igitur, in resuming an interrupted train of thought, as I was saying; I say, then; well then: “tres viae sunt ad Mutinam, quo festinat animus, ut, etc. ... Tres ergo ut dixi viae,” Cic. Phil. 12, 9, 22; cf. id. Part. 13, 46; id. de Or. 1, 57; id. Top. 19, 73; id. Tusc. 1, 2, 4.—So (like igitur and inquam) after parenthetical sentences, Cic. Tusc. 1, 7, 14; id. Fin. 2, 34, 113; id. Fam. 15, 10, 1.—Less freq. for inquam in a mere repetition: “mihi tuus pater, Pater hujus ergo, hospes Antidamas fuit,” Plaut. Poen. 5, 2, 91; or in beginning a subject with reference to the expectation of the auditors (cf. Gr. ἄρα), then, now: “accipite ergo animis,” Verg. A. 10, 109; id. Cir. 29. See Hand Turs. II. pp. 440-467.
